'This will be an economic election' Ann Romney talks about campaign in Stratham

Sunday

Sep 9, 2012 at 3:15 AMSep 9, 2012 at 10:10 AM

By OLIVER JENKINSojenkins@fosters.com

STRATHAM — "This has not been an economic recovery, there is no economic recovery," Ann Romney said Saturday afternoon after a campaign appearance at the Seacoast Republican Women's annual chili-fest at Scamman Farm. "We are in a very tepid place and there are going to have to be some real changes before we see any change in the recovery."

Romney touched on several issues during a brief interview with Foster's, including the importance of the economy in this year's election, the factors behind her husband's problem connecting with average voters, and the growing importance of New Hampshire in the election process.

"This will be an economic election," Romney said when asked about the single most important and influential factor behind this year's election process. "Those job numbers that just came out were very troubling."

As Romney stated, although unemployment figures are currently at 8.1 percent — representing a slight drop from past figures — the number doesn't represent how high the unemployment rates really are.

"I just believe it will turn on the economy," she re-stated. "People have given this president a chance and I think it's basically saying it's time to ride the coach," she said in reference to President Obama's departure. "There are 23 million Americans out of work."

As far as her husband's relatability issues, Romney cited a massive amount of negative advertisements, in addition to campaign rules, as contributing factors to her husband's current image.

"When you have hundreds of millions of dollars thrown at you in negative advertisements it's tough," she said. "We spent our primary money fighting a primary — we can't spend general election money until after the convention."

With such laws determing how campaigns may and may not spend money, Romney said the Democratic Party took advantage of an opportune time to go on the offensive.

"We were grossly overspent and they clearly recognized this was the time do as much damage as they could to my husband," she said. 'It was a tough period."

However, with the passing of last month's Republican National Convention now complete, Romney said the ability to spend general election money will help her husband protect his image.

She also said she was thankful for the opportunity to speak at the Convention — a platform she used to soften her husband's image to the country.

"We were very grateful for the convention," she said. "People got to see Mitt in a different way."

On Saturday, Romney continued to detail more of her husband's personal side, including sharing stories of Romney helping a man dying of leukemia and serving a Thanksgiving dinner to a girl who was born three months premature. "There are hundreds of stories like those," Romney said. "And people are like, 'Oh, we didn't know this was who Mitt really was.'"

And for N.H. voters who'd still like to learn more about the former Massachusetts governor, Romney indicated they will be back to the Granite State frequently and regularly.

"N.H. is going to be one of those important states," she said. "Everyone is fighting for every vote they can get. We will be back here a lot."

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